I used to spend hours on each marine, trying to make them as close as possible to the official photos. This meant that a single squad could take weeks to complete.
Ain't nobody got time for that.
Painstaking paint jobs are for HQ units & contest entries. The rank and file can be painted quickly and still look great. Here's how; (note that this tutorial is for Dark Angels, but can be applied to nearly any chapter)
1. Prime your model. I've used black because the Dark Angels are a darkcr scheme. For Salamanders or Blood Angels, I would use a grey primer to get a brighter color.
2. Apply a zenithal highlight of white primer. Simply spray from the top down to create artificial highlights. This can be done with an airbrush or a spray can. (note that I have not properly cleaned and maintained my airbrush, and the spray is splattery. DON'T be like me.)
3. Apply your base color. I've sprayed Caliban Green, of course. The paint is slightly transparent, so the artificial highlights we created in the previous step show through.
4. Apply a zenithal highlight using a brighter green. I've done this to enhance the artificial highlight we've established.
5. Dry brush your model using a very bright (too bright, in fact) green. I'm using a nearly fluorescent green. There are a few key factors in getting this step right:
A. Use a soft bristled, round brush. I've found that cosmetics brushes (used for blush, etc) from the dollar store work best.
B. Work the paint out of the bristles using a paper towel until it is almost empty. Too much paint on your brush will create a streaky appearance.
C. Brush the model in very light, circular motions. This will cause the paint to build up very slowly over several passes. This catches the edges, but does not streak or "chalk" up.
It's OK if this color looks too bright, because--
6. Wash the model with Biel-tan Green using a large brush to cover the entire model quickly and evenly. Be sure the shade does not pool up along the bottom or in the deep recesses. Congrats, you've given the model detail and knocked back the too bright dry brush, unifying the model in a single shot!
7. Paint the details, including the chest aquilla, metal parts, armor joints and purity seals. A simple base coat and wash gets them table ready.
8. Apply decals as shown in our tutorial.
9. Finish the base to match your army's theme. I've completed these Shattered dominion bases separately, as the flight stands on these Inceptors are quite fiddly.
Your unit is ready to fight! Congrats on putting a good looking squad together in record time! Now go spend 30 hours making your HQ look incredible.
-trip
Sweet and effective. Nice tutorial
ReplyDeleteEffective indeed! Nice approach.
ReplyDeleteHi and thanks for this "how to" :)
ReplyDeleteI'm struggling with make-up brush thing. I user two of them with different sizes and didn't get a nice and smooth result like you. Can you share what kind of brush you're using please ?
I will continue color tests too, my highlight color choice seems a bit too light ahah
Thanks for your content :)
I'm using an off-brand makeup brush purchased from the dollar store. The key is to make sure the brush is nearly empty before you apply it to the model. Brush VERY lightly over the model. This will take MANY passes to build the color, but the final product will be much smoother and less streaky than a heavy application.
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